Lee seeks dismissal

The lawyer representing Senators assistant general manager Randy Lee told The Associated Press he will enter a not guilty plea and file a motion to dismiss harassment charges during his client’s appearance Friday in Buffalo city court.

A spokesman for the Erie County district attorney’s office said prosecutors would oppose the motion to have the charges dismissed.

The prosecution is scheduled to file a second charge of harassment against Lee, who has been suspended by the Senators. Lee is accused of making lewd comments and rubbing the shoulders of a 19-year-old male shuttle driver in May, when Buffalo was hosting the NHL rookie combine.

The additional charge falls under a separate subsection of the legal code outlining the violation of harassment. It defines harassment as someone who “repeatedly commits acts which alarm or seriously annoy” another person and “serve no legitimate purpose.”

That’s different from the initial charge, which defines harassment as someone striking or making physical contact with another person.

Lee was arrested May 31 after prosecutors say he continued placing his hands on the driver’s shoulders after being told to stop.

The driver’s attorney, Charles Desmond, told the AP this week he is monitoring the court proceeding to determine whether to file a civil suit against Lee.

Personnel dept.

The Blue Jackets re-signed forward Boone Jenner to a four-year, $15 million contract, locking up a player who has been a stalwart presence in the team’s emergence as a playoff contender.

Under terms of the deal, van Riemsdyk will make $2.1 million this season and $2.5 million in 2019-20.

Van Riemsdyk and the team agreed to the deal after the defenseman filed for arbitration. He led the team with a plus-minus rating of plus-9 last season and had a career-best 13 assists.

...Barry Trotz has added former Washington Capitals assistant Lane Lambert to his New York Islanders coaching staff.

The Islanders announced the hiring, saying Lambert would be the associate coach. The 53-year-old had served the past four seasons as the assistant coach with the recently crowned Stanley Cup champions and spent the first three seasons of his six-year playing career with the Detroit Red Wings.